krou writes: Should dolphins be treated as 'non-human persons'? Behavioural studies indicate dolphins think of the future, have self-awareness, and distinct personalities, complex social structures 'with individuals co-operating to solve difficult problems or to round up shoals of fish to eat, and with new behaviors being passed from one dolphin to another'. This and more has led two scientists, zoologist Lori Marino and Diana Reiss, professor of psychology at the City University of New York, to claim that this understanding of dolphins may 'mean it [is not] ethical to keep dolphins in aquatic amusement parks for our entertainment, or to kill them for food'. Thomas White, professor of ethics and business at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, has gone so far as to claim that dolphins should be treated as "non-human persons". Would/.'ers agree? What are the implications of such a move?

the truth is this is a really hard question for humans. At some point we have to deal with our own selfish behaviour as a species.

It all comes down to propagation of the species. At present most people see themselves as "humans" more than as "intelligent being". Once all the propagation of species instincts will be moved to "intelligent being", things might start to change.In fact, a lot of people still have problems accepting members of their own species as mostly equals (men with women, whites with blacks

Dolphins already get a fair amount of respect and deference. They might not get treatedquite like Gloria Steinem might, but they really don't get a raw deal when compared tomost of the rest of the animal kingdom. They don't need to be transformed into some sortof quasi-person. They already do well enough as they are already regarded.